This invention relates to entertainment content for gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of providing entertainment content to a player playing a game on the gaming machine.
As technology in the gaming industry progresses, the traditional mechanically driven reel slot machines are being replaced with electronic counterparts having CRT, LCD video displays or the like. These video/electronic gaming advancements enable the operation of more complex games, which would not otherwise be possible on mechanical-driven gaming machines. Gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines are becoming increasingly popular. Part of the reason for their increased popularity is the nearly endless variety of games that can be implemented on gaming machines utilizing advanced electronic technology.
There are a wide variety of associated devices that can be connected to a gaming machine such as a slot machine or video poker machine. Some examples of these devices are lights, ticket printers, card readers, speakers, bill validators, ticket readers, coin acceptors, display panels, key pads, coin hoppers and button pads. Many of these devices are built into the gaming machine or components associated with the gaming machine such as a top box which usually sits on top of the gaming machine.
Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, the gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourage game play on the gaming machine. For example, a game played on a gaming machine usually requires a player to input money or indicia of credit into the gaming machine, indicate a wager amount, and initiate a game play. These steps require the gaming machine to control input devices, including bill validators and coin acceptors, to accept money into the gaming machine and recognize user inputs from devices, including key pads and button pads, to determine the wager amount and initiate game play. After game play has been initiated, the gaming machine determines a game outcome, presents the game outcome to the player and may dispense an award of some type depending on the outcome of the game.
For gaming machine operators, an important aspect of operating a gaming machine is determining the game playing habits of individual game players. When the game playing habits of an individual player are known, the gaming machine operator may provide incentives corresponding to the game playing habits of the individual game player to encourage additional game play. For example, the gaming machine operator may provide an individual player with coupons for free meals, free rooms or discounted game play depending on their game playing habits.
Typically, on a casino floor with many gaming machines as players leave and enter the gaming area, many gaming machines remain idle while other gaming machines are being utilized by players playing games. When idle, a gaming machine does not generate revenue for the owner of the gaming machine. Thus, gaming hardware or methods that 1) encourage additional game play on a gaming machine or 2) generate revenue independent of the game play on a gaming machine, are always sought after by gaming machine operators. In addition, the hardware or methods may not be related to the game play. For example, for gaming machines with an electronic video display screen, showing advertisements has been proposed as a means of generating additional revenue when the gaming machine is not in use.
In view of the above, using the advanced technology of current gaming machines, it would be desirable to provide method and apparatus that 1) generate revenue when the gaming machine is not being used for game play and 2) encourage additional game play on the gaming machine.